US-based ★ Nielsen Measures Network Loyalty

Nielsen established a standard for measuring viewer loyalty to television networks. It also clarifies the correlation with purchasing behavior.

Last year's first quarter, at the request of cable network Bravo (pictured: its show Vanderpump Rules), Nielsen surveyed viewing habits among 18-49 year olds across 75 entertainment networks (excluding major players like the Big Four networks, ESPN, and FOX News). Loyalty was ranked based on the percentage of viewers who tuned into a network's channel ten or more times during that quarter. USA Network ranked first at 18.9%, followed by Bravo at 18.4%, Discovery Channel at 17.9%, History Channel at 17.3%, and TBS at 17.1%.

Loyalty differs from ratings. TBS, which led last year's prime-time ratings (18-49 age group), ranked fifth in loyalty. Nielsen states that loyalty is not a substitute for ratings but rather deepens understanding of the quality of the viewing environment. The company further analyzed viewing and purchasing data from 18 cable networks. Higher loyalty correlated with increased purchasing.

The company plans to sell its loyalty measurement survey service beyond the entertainment sector and to networks other than cable during the first quarter of this year.

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